Samantha Power accused of being anti Israeli and anti American by her critics

Samantha Power and President Barack Obama addressing a crowd at the White House after her appointmentWhite House

Samantha Power, President Obama’s choice to replace Susan Rice as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, is facing stiff opposition to her appointment from close to 50 former U.S. military leaders and other top ranking officials, according to reports.

The nearly 50 conservative officials opposing Power’s nomination gathered at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday morning to voice their opposition.

They have accused her of anti American and anti Israeli behavior.

Power, a native of Dublin who spent her first nine years in Ireland before moving to the U.S. with her mother, is a long-time Obama advisor who was nominated to the high-profile post last month.

However, the officials who are against her appointment recently joined together to write a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The Senate will have to approve her appointment, but those who oppose Power, 42, claim she’s not qualified for the job.

“In light of her low regard for our country, her animus towards one of our most important allies, Israel, and her affinity for those who would diminish our sovereignty and strengthen our adversaries, we consider her to be a wholly unacceptable choice for this sensitive post and urge you to reject this nomination,” the letter stated.

“Almost since its inception, the United Nations has been dominated by member states, organizations and personalities who share Dr. Power’s sentiments. We do not need to add to their number – especially as the representative of the American people – someone who shares their trans-nationalist agenda, with all that implies for our interests and freedoms."

Those who signed the letter – among them former Navy AdmiralJames A. “Ace” Lyons and Army Lieutenant General William Boykin – allege that Power, a married mother of two, harbors an anti-Israel agenda that will infect U.S.-Israeli relations if she wins confirmation to her post.

They also say that she’s anti-American and will strengthen world opposition to U.S. policy.

“Samantha Power’s attitude that we need to cede our sovereignty to the U.N. is very misguided and is very dangerous as far as I’m concerned,” Boykin said. “Maintaining our sovereignty and our pride at being Americans are fundamental to our future.”

A former member of the House of Representatives, Republican Allen West of Florida said Power has a “great disdain for our ally, the state of Israel.”

“Miss Power is an über-left militant progressive whose previous statements against America and Israel should cause us concerns,” he added.

But Power received strong support for her nomination from influential “Washington Post” columnist Dana Milbank, a former Yale classmate.

“I went to college with Power and have spoken with her at various points in the years since. I’ve known her to be outspoken and brash, but I was unaware that she was un-American,” he wrote.

After her nomination was announced, Power received a show of support from former GOP presidential nominee John McCain.

"I believe she is well-qualified for this important position and hope the Senate will move forward on her nomination as soon as possible," he said.